Pernambuco · Brazil
Petrolina travel guide
Petrolina is a city in Pernambuco, Brazil, home to about 418,000 people.
- Nearest airport
- PNZ8 km · Senador Nilo Coelho Airport
- Currency
- BRLBrazilian real
- Time zone
- America/Sao Paulo
- Language
- Portuguese, Brazilian Sign Language
About
About Petrolina
Petrolina is a municipality located in the southernmost point of the state of Pernambuco, in Northeast Brazil, in the valley of the São Francisco River. The population was 418,444 in 2025, and the total area is 4,756.8 km2, making it the largest municipality in the state by area.
The São Francisco Valley is an agricultural region, in-between the states of Bahia and Pernambuco irrigated by the São Francisco river. It is a major fruit exporter, especially grapes, mangos and bananas, and a growing center of production of Brazilian wines and sparkling wines. Petrolina is the largest city and business center of the region, and contains the region's only international airport.
Wikipedia and Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in Petrolina
See
- Catedral Sagrado Coração de Jesus e Cristo Rei
- Palácio Episcopal da Diocese de Petrolina
- Petrolina Antiga
- Igreja Matriz Nossa Senhora Rainha dos Anjos
- Estação Ferroviária de Petrolina
- Mãe d'Água statue
- Museu do Sertão
- Orla
Do
The main highlight of Petrolina is getting out of the city and exploring the São Francisco Valley region, either by car or by boat.
- Parque Aquático Ilha do Sol
- Ilha do Rodeadouro
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Hotels in Petrolina
2 hotels within 25 km of the centre, as recorded in Wikidata. Each name links to its encyclopedia article where there is one.
| Hotel | Opened | From centre |
|---|---|---|
| Ibis Petrolina | 1.6 km | |
| Nobile Suites Del Rio - Petrolina | 0.8 km |
When to go
The best time to visit Petrolina
Petrolina has no month that is both mild and dry by the measure used here. October is the warmest month, with average highs of 35 °C; March is the wettest, with about 87 mm of rain.
Comfortable means average daytime high between 18 °C and 29 °C and under 80 mm of rain in the month. Averages for 1991–2020 over the surrounding area, a grid square about 50 km across, so a coast or a nearby mountain can make the town itself warmer or cooler. Data: CRU TS v4.10, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (Open Database License).
Getting there
Getting to Petrolina: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Senador Nilo Coelho Airport (PNZ), about 7.5 km from the city centre in a straight line.
Getting around
If you plan to do agro- and eno-tourism, definitely a car would be highly recommended unless you plan to take the Vapor do Vinhos boat tour in Juazeiro. Car rental agencies are readily available at the airport and at the city center, with prices typically starting from R$ 150 per day. To move exclusively around Petrolina or to the nearby town of Juazeiro it is not cost-effective to rent a car. Taxis are available at the airport, at taxi stands, and by calling, but are often not that frequent to hail on the street.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
PNZ · Senador Nilo Coelho Airport
Local knowledge
Eating, drinking and staying safe in Petrolina
Eat
Petrolina has probably the widest range and highest quality of eating options of the São Francisco Valley. It has some excellent Brazilian Northeastern restaurants, with goat meat being the local speciality. Surprisingly, the city also has a quite significant number of Japanese (actually more like Brazilian-Japanese) restaurants, due to having a significant Japanese-Brazilian community, originated from São Paulo, and active in the farming and retail sectors.
Drink
Petrolina's variety of nightlife spots is unparalleled in the São Francisco Valley and Sertão regions, ranging from simple botecos and riverside kiosks to high-end bars, gastropubs and nightclubs. The highest concentrations of watering roles are in the Orla and surrounding streets, and nearby the Bodódromo.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Questions
Petrolina: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Petrolina?
Petrolina has no month that is both mild and dry by the measure used here. October is the warmest month, with average highs of 35 °C; March is the wettest, with about 87 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to Petrolina?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Senador Nilo Coelho Airport (PNZ), about 7.5 km from the city centre in a straight line.
What currency is used in Petrolina?
Brazilian real (BRL).
Nearby
Destinations near Petrolina
Sources: city facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia; airports from OurAirports; climate from CRU TS v4.10 (University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit), 1991–2020 monthly means, 0.5° grid; places to stay, guest scores and amenities from each operator's own public pages. How this guide is made.